Stray buffalos force FMD shutdown in the North
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Friday September 15, 2023 12:01
In the past few days, hundreds of the stray buffalos have been seen roaming around areas such as Sowa Town near Botswana Ash (Botash)’s offices, Lepashe, Mosetse, Dukwi, Kutamogoree and surrounding areas.
The buffaloes are reportedly from the Hwange National Park which lies across the border in Zimbabwe. Officials have speculated that the animals are crossing the border in droves in search of water and pasture.
The Botswana Police Service (BPS), Department of Wildlife and National Parks and other relevant authorities have been deployed to the area to try and contain the situation.
In the interim, the government has also advised the affected villagers to exercise extreme caution when moving around, while the Ministry of Agriculture has banned the movement of cloven-hoofed animals from Nata-Sowa, Dukwi and the Mosetse area as well close neighbouring agricultural zones.
The livestock restriction is designed to contain any possible spread of FMD, which very often breaks out when buffaloes interact with cattle. Movement and export of live cloven-hoofed animals and their products from these areas is prohibited, while authorities study the situation on the ground.
Dukwi village leader, Kgosi Bohedile Twaelang, told Mmegi that the villagers have been living in fear and panicking since the invasions of the buffalos.
He said that even though they did not receive any reports of casualties or injuries, the villagers were fearful that the stray wild animals may harm them. As a result of the buffalo sightings, villagers have changed their routines more, especially farmers, he added.
“People are afraid to gather firewood in woodlands or visit their cattle posts and lands because buffalos can be spotted everywhere,” he said. “In some cases, people are even afraid to report to work. “For example, the Ipelegeng workers at Dukwi Refugee Camp, who are three kilometers away from the area where one buffalo was spotted, are afraid to report to work.”
The new developments come as a shock to locals as this is the first time buffalos have invaded in such numbers, to the extent that some of them have been found at Botash’s mine in Sowa Town and in the Lepashe area, Twaelang added.
In the midst of the fear and panic, pastoral farmers are also dealing with the livestock movement restriction which is crippling their incomes and livelihoods.
Twaelang said that most of the farmers rely on their cattle, goats and sheep to make a living.
“Lack of livestock sales will have a devastating effect on the family's finances,” he said. “Additionally, since they will not be able to monitor their livestock, the poor farmers will suffer a terrible loss. “The farmers cannot go to their cattle post to check on their livestock because the buffalos are present in the area. “On the other hand, arable farmers are equally afraid to visit their lands to prepare for the cropping season.”
The village leader said that wildlife, especially elephants, have been affecting pastoral farmers for the last seven years. Elephants in search of water frequently damage infrastructure such as fences and boreholes, he said.
“We are now living a life of fear as we are not sure if the buffalos are here to stay just like the elephants,” said Kgosi Twaelang. “We have learnt that the buffaloes were from Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe which is reported to be dry. “Some of the buffalos were visibly dehydrated and in desperate search for water.”
He said it was critical for the government to revamp the veterinary fences along the border which are currently damaged, adding that buffalos are very dangerous wild animals which are capable of killing and also carry FMD.
Mosetse, Kutamogoree and Lepashe village leader, Kgosi Opelo Ntshwareng, told Mmegi that three buffalos were killed near Kutamogoree village on Wednesday near a borehole 200 metres from a human settlement.
According to Ntshwareng, the buffalos were killed in an area where people frequently visit in search of water. He said that most of the farmers in their area heavily reliant on both pastoral and arable farming and have been badly affected by the invasion of the buffalos.
“As buffalos are everywhere, anyone can be attacked by them anywhere at any time. “We have to be vigilant and pray we will not be attacked,” he said.
Ntshwareng expressed concern that if the rains come soon, the buffalo might be tempted to permanently remain in the area, thus adding onto the problematic elephants that villagers are already struggling with. “In the past, many people gave up their properties including farms out of fear of elephants which frequently invaded. “Now with the buffalos, there is a chance that lions may also join them, which makes the situation much worse. “Government should consider building permanent structures that act as animal water reserves. “I also think an electric fence needs to be put up at the border, to regulate the migration of these animals,” he said.
Farmers representative in the area, Selebaleng Molemi, said that they have already started calculating their losses due to the invasion of wildlife.
He told Mmegi while farmers were adjusting to the elephants and hyenas who have in the past terrorised livestock and destroyed crops, the buffalo invasion was not a surprise. Molemi used to own about 100 cattle and 15 goats. However, 65 of this livestock was eaten by hyenas recently.
"We are nonetheless startled at the numbers that came in,” he said. “The nature of Zimbabwe's wildlife and the care it is receiving are well known to our government, and yet electrifying the borders is not given priority.”
Molemi said eliminating the buffalos should not be government’s top priority at the moment.
“They need to build wildlife water reservoirs so that local wild animals have access,” said the farmer.
The buffaloes are also omnipresent in their territory as a result of the government's delay. He noted that while eliminating them is not now a top priority, they should now construct wildlife reservoirs so that the local wild animals have access to water.